Give us a Possession

Chapter 6: Your Father Will be Forgotten

20 years later…

The now 33- year- old Mahlah opened the tent flap and motioned to her sisters. "How is he?" Milcah whispered.

"He- he is dying."

"Father is dying!?" Tirzah exclaimed.

"I am afraid so, little sis. Come, we must say our goodbyes." The five girls slowly and numbly entered the tent, where their father lay on a mat, gasping for breath. "My dear girls." He rasped.

"Save your strength, Father." Noah urged.

"No, I must say this: the LORD bless you and keep you. The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. The LORD lift up His countenance on you and give you peace." He took in a deep breath. "I am sorry I don't have enough breath and strength to give the five of you a better blessing."

"No, no, Father! We appreciate you even giving us a blessing, even though we are girls." Hoglah said, to which all the girls agreed.

"Maybe so, but girls are just as valuable as boys, in Jehovah's estimation and mine."

"We love you, Father." Mahlah said.

"And I love the five of you. Keep doing what is right in the sight of Jehovah." Then Zelophehad died. His girls fell over his body, weeping uncontrollably.

After his funeral, one of their uncles approached them. "I am truly sorry about your father, girls."

"We know." Mahlah said.

"What makes it even worse is that with him, his name died."

"Whatever do you mean?" Milcah asked.

"I mean that it will be forgotten in Israel that there ever was a Zelophehad, son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, son of Joseph, son on Jacob."

"Why will Father be forgotten?" Tirzah said.

"Because he had no sons to inherit his land."

"He had us!" Mahlah said.

"Yes, but girls cannot inherit land."

"Why not?"

"Because that is not what God has ordained."

"But-"

"Now, now. We do not question God."

"I know."

"Good," was all that their uncle said. Later, when the girls were alone, Tirzah asked, "How can we keep people from forgetting Father? We cannot inherit the land!"

"Yet. We cannot inherit the land yet." Mahlah said.

"What do you mean? We will never be able to inherit the land as long as Father has male relatives."

"Well, we can ask Moses respectfully."

"I think that is a good idea."

"We need to get sleep if we will do that in the morning." They all went to sleep, praying Jehovah would allow them to inherit their father's land.